Canon strengthens photo paper lineup with three new premium options

Canon has introduced a trio of high-end inkjet papers designed for professional photographers and digital image makers. The new papers, Premium Fine Art Smooth, Premium Fine Art Bright White, and Premium Polished Rag, all promise reproduction of rich colors and fine gradations. All are made from 100 percent cotton and are acid-free, suitable for museum and archival work.

“Having a wide range of versatile media support for our printers allows users to choose the best paper to create their masterpiece,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO of Canon USA in a statement.

Premium Fine Art Smooth provides for a deeper black than what is normally possible, by holding the pigment closer to the surface of the paper. The paper does this by dividing its ink-receiving layers into a color-reproduction layer and a separate absorbing layer. Canon states Premium Fine Art Smooth has a “natural” color tone.

It is also apparently the only of the three papers that is currently available in sheet sizes, while it will also be sold in rolls from 17 to 44 inches wide.

Premium Fine Art Bright White ups the contrast and brightness, while Premium Polished Rag offers a semigloss surface. Both papers offer a wide color gamut and high color consistency, while the Polished Rag is free of optical brighteners. Canon claims that in addition to making photographic prints, the Polished Rag is particularly well-suited for printing out computer-generated artwork. These papers are available now in 24-, 36-, 44-, and 60-inch roll sizes.

While Canon has been in the printer game for some time, it hasn’t had a fully fleshed out selection of high-end fine art papers. These new options make for a significant increase in the number of first-party papers available to Canon printer customers.